Urging Government Officials and Employees to Desist from Accepting Invitations for Travels Directly or Indirectly Funded, Fully or Partially, by Contractors or Suppliers of Goods, Equipment and Services

November 18, 1997 REVENUE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 50-97 SUBJECT : Urging Government Officials and Employees to Desist from Accepting Invitations for Travels Directly or Indirectly Funded, Fully or Partially, by Contractors or Suppliers of Goods, Equipment and Services TO : All Revenue Officials and Employees and Others Concerned For the information and guidance of all revenue officials and employees, quoted hereunder is Memorandum dated October 21, 1997 of the President on the above subject: LLphil "It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in the public service and, in line with the principle that a public office is a public trust, to repress certain acts of public officers which constitute graft or corrupt practices or which may lead thereto. This Office has been receiving requests for authority to travel abroad of public officials and employees on the basis of invitations by contractors or suppliers of goods, equipment and services purportedly to undertake study or assessment of their capabilities as such contractors or suppliers or for attendance in meetings and conferences relative thereto. To ensure utmost impartiality and objectivity in the award of contracts for the purchase and delivery of goods, equipment and services and in line with the above declarations of policy and principle, all concerned government officials and employees are strongly reminded and exhorted to avoid, desist and refrain from accepting invitations for travels directly or indirectly funded, fully or partially, by these suppliers or contractors. This injunction shall not apply to trips which are clearly provided in or are component of duly perfected contracts between the agencies concerned and the contractor or supplier. For strict compliance. (Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS" All revenue officials and employees are enjoined to give this circular as wide a publicity as possible. cdlex LIWAYWAY VINZONS-CHATO Commissioner of Internal Revenue